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(Click refresh or reload for current message) "Higher Ground" Message summary: The Psalmist provides our Scriptural support for this message, "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him" (Psalm 62:5). Listen
to our message
on your audio
player. "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him" (Psalm 62:5). In our childhood and throughout our young adult years most church singing was from the hymnbook. Of course there were songs that it seems everyone knew such as "Jesus Loves Me This I know" that we sung by memory. Over time we began to sing newer choruses and initially a mimeographed copy or booklet would have been passed around with the new songs and then we went hi-tech using the overheard projector, a marvel of modern engineering. But through this age we also used the hymnbook as well. Then the PowerPoint Projector came along and now it seems most churches only use these. In our church we still have hymnals but have rarely used them over the past decade in the main sanctuary. Even when a selected song is in our hymnal it is projected to the screen. Most of the worship songs we sing are newer, usually written in the last .5% of church history (10 years, and I presume this is true in many churches).* We are blessed by this music but we also enjoy singing those written throughout the ages. We readily acknowledge the dilemma for musicians, that you can't please everybody especially with music! Brooksyne understands this well as she was worship leader for many years throughout our pastorates and even since our move to Lancaster County in 2001. As you age the music you have been exposed to and sung grows more and more and that can be a blessing in reminding and reinforcing spiritual truths such as an old song that comes to mind for today's message called "Higher Ground" written in 1892. How many of you have sung it? Lord,
lift me up,
and let me
stand When the song was written "higher plane" certainly wasn't about a plane flying at a high altitude! It would never have entered the minds of those who sang it at that time in history. What is your source of hope and joy today? For some it's politics and the promises made of a better life to come. A large rally can really stir the crowd with enthusiasm. It can be the joy of winning a sporting event, especially in a large crowd. Several years ago Ester and I were at Fenway when the Red Sox won a playoff game and the atmosphere became electric with spectators slapping high fives and cheering voices filling the air. It might be a business meeting with projections of success as a leader rallies the team. Of course a Christian worship service can and should have the element of filling our hearts with hope and joy, especially when it turns our focus to the higher plane of our friendship with Jesus, fellowship divine. This is expressed in another old chorus as well: Turn
your eyes upon
Jesus The Psalmist provides our Scriptural support for this message, "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him" (Psalm 62:5). Are you looking for hope in a political outcome? In this fallen world you will ultimately be disappointed, if that is where you place your hope. I want to scale the utmost height And catch a gleam of glory bright; But still I’ll pray till Heav’n I’ve found, “Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”
Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber Daily prayer: Father, I want to scale the utmost height and catch a gleam of glory bright; but still I'll pray til' heav'n I've found; Lord, plant my feet on higher ground, as I seek to advance from one level to the next, step by step until my faith soars and I develop an intense desire to fulfill the purpose You have for me. One thing for sure I want to glorify You, my Father in heaven, and enjoy fellowship with You forever. Amen.
*
Even in
churches that
still use
hymnals most
of the songs
that are sung
were written
in the last
10% of church
history (200
years). By
observation
most of the
songs we sing
today were
actually
written in the
last five
years!
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"Higher
Ground"
Watch
on YouTube
Kim
Hopper, Wesley
Pritchard, Amy
Lambert and
the Gaither
Homecoming
Singers "Turn
Your Eyes"
Watch
on YouTube
The Glorious
Christ
Live
(This version
has a
beautiful new
bridge written
in recent
years.) In
searching for
a photo of an
overhead
projector I
recalled a
message I had
written many
years ago on a
humor blog
which I now
rarely post
to. If you
have a sense
of humor you
may enjoy it!
Overhead
to PowerPoint
proposal
creates
firestorm in
local church Brooksyne's
note: The
article
Stephen wrote
in satire was
a result of
our hearing
the true story
of an overhead
projector
being
introduced to
a church here
in Lancaster
County in the
80's to aid in
singing, and
some were
extremely
upset. It
really caused
division in
that very
conservative
church at the
time! The blog “A Little Foolishness” is a sampling of ramblings of humor and satire regarding current church, theological, social and political issues. The
interesting
sights of
Lancaster
County!
We took this photo of a Mennonite farmer transporting a wagon load of hay. Although it looks like he's on some back road with little traffic he's actually entering a major intersection on US Highway 322 east of Ephrata, PA.
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Daily Encouragement on: Wordpress iHeart radio Permissions: Please feel free to pass on, reproduce and distribute any material on Daily Encouragement Net, in part or in whole, in any format, provided that you do not alter the wording in any way or charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. It is our desire to spread this material, not protect or restrict it. We do request that you keep the contact, copyright and subscription information intact. Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version and a variety of other versions. Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity." © Copyright 2024 Stephen C. & Brooksyne Weber - All Rights Reserved Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA |